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Having trouble with Speaker groups? Read this first

kelanfromgoogle
Community Manager (Admin)
Community Manager (Admin)

Hi everyone, 

 

Thank you for continuing to notify us of the reliability issues you’re facing with your Speaker groups. I escalated these issues internally and the team is actively investigating a resolution. If you’re able, all feedback is appreciated! Please keep it coming by saying “OK Google, Send Feedback." Providing details, such as mentioning that the issue is with the "speaker group," is especially helpful.  As always, we appreciate your feedback and are working hard to alleviate the issues. 

 

Thank you for the patience,
Kelan

2 Recommended AnswerS

kelanfromgoogle
Community Manager (Admin)
Community Manager (Admin)

Hey folks,


Thank you for your continued patience while our team has been working to address the issues with Speaker group functionality. I want to give you all an update and confirm that a fix was identified which will address a specific problem where some devices, when acting as the group leader, cause an issue with audio not playing on other speakers that are part of the same group. However, you may experience that the main (or leader) device will still play the media as expected.

 

The following devices will cause this behavior when used as the group leader:

- Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
- Chromecast with Google TV (HD)
- Google Home (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Google Home/Nest Hub (first-generation)
- Google Home/Nest Mini (first-generation) (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Nest Audio (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Nest Hub (second-generation)
- Nest Hub Max
- Nest Mini (second-generation) (Fixed as part of firmware update 3.73)
- Nest Wifi Point
- Pixel Tablet
- A small percentage of third-party speakers were also affected


Note: the issue must be fixed on the device that is the leader of the group in order for the other devices in the group to start playing consistently


The fixes are specific to each device type, and are dependent on upcoming scheduled update rollouts. We will update this post as the fixes begin rolling out for each device so you can test your own speaker groups.


There may be some devices that take longer to receive the update so if you’re still encountering issues, you can try these temporary workarounds:

Cast directly: if you’re trying to play audio in multiple rooms, cast the audio directly to the individual speakers.

Restart your devices: If you’re having trouble with your speaker group and are unsure which device is the group leader, try restarting all devices that are part of the speaker group. This can often resolve the issues.

 

As always, we deeply appreciate the feedback and your patience. If you are still running into issues with Speaker groups, please leave a comment below with clear descriptions of the behavior you're encountering. This feedback will help the team further investigate and mitigate anything else that might be causing this feature to not work as intended.


Thanks again, we're working diligently to get everything back to how it should be.

Kelan

View Recommended Answer in original post

kelanfromgoogle
Community Manager (Admin)
Community Manager (Admin)

Hi everyone,

The 3.73 firmware update contained fixes for some of the issues impacting Speaker groups functionality. 

 

These fixes are specific to the following device types:

  • Nest Audio
  • Nest Mini
  • Google Home Mini
  • Google Home

 

Speaker groups consisting of these devices should not experience disrupted playback. If you were experiencing issues with your Speaker groups, remove any devices from the group that do not appear in the above list and test them again. If after testing you still experience problems, please respond below with as much detail about your setup.

 

We appreciate your patience while the team works hard to investigate and identify fixes for the rest of impacted device types.


Thank you.

View Recommended Answer in original post

472 REPLIES 472

CHAZZER
Community Member

It shouldn't have to come to this but lack of response from Google is unacceptable. 

 

I'm in.

Lardo
Community Member

Count me in... it's beyond a joke. 
Also, my downstairs Speaker is now turning on my Bedroom lights EVERY time and it never used to... \ll a bit of a mess Google, I have to say

Jaygjenning
Community Member

im in

 

marcolopes
Community Member

Meanwhile, there are NEW preview "firmwares": https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7365257

Are you all on the the preview program?

Hi, thank you for the notification. I will join the program once I am home this evening. I'm curious to see if anything's fixed.

Updating my Nest Audio with the preview firmware version 3.73.429109 have solved Speaker Group issue with my Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 700 Soundbar.
Will post back when/if it breaks.

okey1
Community Member

How did you update it

mndtrp
Community Member

You can probably find what you need here: Preview Program overview - Google Nest Help
So, I joined the Nest Audio device to the preview program. Had a coffee or two. Then I power-cycled the Nest Audio device. And a minute or two later it was running the latest firmware. Firmware versions can be checked at Google speaker and display firmware versions and release notes - Google Nest Help
There is of course no guarantee that it will update this fast, but in my case it did.

Casting to this group is still working splendidly (2 days+). From iOS device, Home Assistant (Spotcast) and Nest Hub (gen 1) voice commands.

CHAZZER
Community Member

Well this firmware update made bo change for me.  So sick of it. 

Same.  Joined preview program.  I see no improvement yet.

Today 9/13/2024 noticed the Production/Preview are one in the same now! Created a group with ALL my speakers and they all played great for one song, then they all started stammering and stuttering. Great JOB GOOGLE!!! 

Dastud
Community Member

Go into setup and uncheck STAMMERING AND STUTTERING. Hope this helps

KylaAlive
Community Member

No matter what I do, I cannot get a speaker group to work other than casting music. I have a Chromecast 4K and a Nest Audio speaker. There is no way for me to make the default auto source on the Chromecast as the Nest Audio other than to connect it via Bluetooth. When I do that, it prevents the Google Home app from functioning properly. It never shows what is playing on the TV only shows something is being streamed to the speaker. When View what's being played on the speaker, it says "Not Available" and I can only pause the media. I cannot view how long is left of the media (like, a show or song duration) or anything. If disconnect tthe Nest Audio speaker from Bluetooth, then I am able to use the Google Home app properly and view what is playing correctly. But then I have no sound as I do not want to use my built in TV speaker. There is no way for me to connect the Chromecast to the speaker any other way.

Also, when watching something on the Chromecast or casting from my phone, I am the only one in the house to receive the persistent media notification. My husband and I are both connected to the home app, have the same phone, and have all devices and apps up to date. My husband still never receives the pnotification unless he is casting something. When he is doing that, I do still get the notification. But if I am casting, he gets nothing. It's also worth noting we have both the same permissions granted for notifications and everything.

I have tried deleting the Google Home app and reinstalling, deleting speaker groups and recreating them, restarting my router, restarting the Chromecast and the Nest Audio. None of that fixes the issue.

I'm extremely frustrated and about to give up completely on this set up. Please help. l'm truly at a total loss!

Firsttube
Community Member

I have 2 nest audio speakers in a stereo pair and a chromecast audio all part of a speaker group.  They used to work flawlessly together when casting from apps like Spotify.  Recently, this has stopped working. With the help of support I have done the following with no resolution:

1. Remove all the Speakers from the Speakers groups.
2. Delete that Speaker group.
3. Uninstall the Home app.
4. Reboot the Wifi Network.
5. Reboot Google Nest or Google Home speaker or display.
6. factory reset.
7. Reinstall the Home app.
8. Create a new home structure.
9. Set up your Google Nest or Google Home speaker or display in new home structure
10. Create a new Speaker group.
11. Add all the speakers in that group and try to stream Music and the Radio stations.

When I select the speaker group to cast to, I hear the initial connection noise on all speakers, but no audio plays.  Sometimes audio will play only through the chromecast audio device.  I've noticed in my Home app that the speaker group name sometimes changes to the name of the stereo pair, and then back again.

 

Not sure if something has changed because this all worked a few weeks ago.  Any ideas?

PCicchiello
Community Member

Many of my first-generation Google Home Mini Voice Assistants have stopped working. Neither of the two factory reset procedures you have made available work. This shows how right those who chose the ALEXA environment did considering your general unreliability.

mrxree
Community Member

@kelanfromgoogle please provide link to Google's terms of service that describes what Google does vs does not assure with regards to Google Home speaker groups.  

 

WhyWhy99
Community Member

I'm sorry bit the mic is off.

NoeC
Community Member

I have just added and set up a second nest audio speaker to me kitchen.  Both speakers work fine separately, and so I want to set up a group.  BUT the home app, that was just used to set up the new speaker is telling me that there are "no device found on this Wi-Fi network".  What is wrong?  Please help.

NoeC
Community Member

I gave up yesterday and planned parceling up my speakers and sending them for a refund...But I gave it one more try this morning, AND everything worked immediately, speaker groups, stereo speakers etc. 

I did nothing different from the previous day.  So, it appears that the home app itself is at fault (btw, everything is on the same WiFi; app, latest version; devices, latest firmware;app on Pixel 8a phone).  I can only assume that perhaps some element of how the app manages the database of devices is buggy, and leaving it alone over night, gave it a chance to refresh.  Or maybe the app was a bit tired and needed a snooze 🙂 I am open to correction of course... A clear explanation from Google would be great, but I won't hold my breath.

ski22
Community Member

It's not the Home app; it's based on which device gets picked as the group leader for unicast among all the casting devices. New devices work fine if they are selected as the group cast leader for audio, but if an older device is chosen, the newer devices won't participate in the group audio.

Rebooting the older group leader device might resolve the issue, but you have to restart the casting while the older device is rebooting and hope a newer device is picked as the group cast leader.

How the group leader is chosen, I don't know—I haven't been able to figure that out yet.

At the end of the day, it's an utter cluster from Google and an embarrassment that they can't resolve such a simple issue! I have some Gen 1 Display Hubs that refuse to participate in any group audio at all. Thanks for the e-waste, Google!

NoeC
Community Member

Thanks for the reply Ski.  On day one, I couldn't setup a group at all because the app was telling me that there were no speakers to group (there is actually 6).  On day 2, I had changed nothing, and the app could see all the speakers, and I could setup a group....

JohnLand
Community Member

I have found to assign the group leader, I start a group with just one device and cast to it. Then go back and add other devices to the group. I have actually had all 14 devices playing almost for the entire day on occasion but then as we all know it will start "stammering and stuttering". I'll go check and sure enough it has assigned a new leader to the group. It always picks the same audio casting device that can't seem to handle the upload of up to 1.5 mbps. And it always picks 1 of the 5 audio casting devices as the leader never any other 9 devices in the group. My prediction is they will say the original audio casting devices are no longer supported rather than fix them.

yaz_man
Community Member

Problems with speaker groups started when Google lost to Sonos. It hasn't been the same since. Google doesn't care about it's customers. I'm fed up with their lack of support. Whether it's the broken wifi issue on the Nest thermostats or the Nest speakers (of which I have over 6 set up), problems abound and no support or feedback. I'm never buying another Google product, whether phone, speaker, TV whatever. There is no regard to customers after the sale. They don't care.

NoeC
Community Member

Thanks Yaz.  I tried casting to the speakers today, despite the instructions from Google that make it look so easy, TOTAL FAILURE.  Nothing works.  What an absolutely CRAP product.  I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy.   Where's that packaging?  Time to return.

NoeC
Community Member

I dug in a bit more...I tried to cast music from plex...No go, seemed to be casting, but no sound.  I tried Plexamp with the same music, and it worked (I'll raise that with Plex).  Are the days of User Acceptance Testing before release gone?

morf
Community Member

Still alive this topic? Guys go for Alexa...goggle is not able or don t want to fix this problem...after 1 year this is the fact..this topic can be closed, like the entire google community. Community doesn't exists in this case.

Uncle-Googs
Community Member

I was considering going from Roku to the Chromecasts for a while.  I see now there is a new TV streamer from Google.  Totally would have jumped on that had Google addressed this issue and thread and made this right.  Nope.  Last thing I need is another buggy device showing up on my Cast list now.  No more google hardware for me - other than Pixel phones.  I will be phasing everything else Google.  Thanks Google - its clear to me you could care less.

Woopt-tf
Community Member

Nothing **bleep**ing works dumbass, all your **bleep** sucks and i want it fixed now because i paid good money for this **bleep**. i really hope you get traumatised by a living, standing, breathing shark and it eats you but makes you fix all the **bleep** beforehand. 

Uncle-Googs
Community Member

Hello?  Kellan?  Google? Anyone?  Company coming over today - would like to play music.

 

 Of course some of my stereo pairs despite showing as a pair in the home app - wont play.  I see the "L" speaker outside of the pair its supposed to be in.  Neat.  Cant "separate stereo pair" - as that option is "not available right now".  Yeah.  Cool. I cant separate and rejoin them.  Gee.  Let me just FACTORY RESET THESE AGAIN to get them working.  I mean hell... I only did that a month ago.  And the month before.  And the month before... Oh... And the month before.  What a joke.

 

At least least I get to be told "by the way - the mic is off" again.  Best part of my month.  Thanks google.  Thanks Kellan.  Thanks for all the effort and support.

Kellan is a bot, there will be no reply. The 🎤 is permanently off at Google. 

 @kelanfromgoogle please send feedback.

Found @kelanfromgoogle over on Reddit asking questions about an update that happened around this time in 2023. Kelan's reply posts where signed at the bottom by 3 different google employees. My guess is they went over to Sonos!

scragin
Community Member

Google doesn't care.

Uncle-Googs
Community Member

Party in garage last night.  Speaker were a stuttering stammering mess of a sheet-show.  Dont worry google 30+ people now know your products are a joke.  In garage now working today ... Same sheet show.  Multiple wifi reboots.  Does anyone even give a sheet?  Anybody?  Nope.  Someone tell me what number I can call to talk to anyone?  Anyone?  Bull-sheet.  I will be ripping each ones of these off my walls soon.  Done with this crap.  Thanks Kellan for all the updates.  Complete joke.

Uncle-Googs
Community Member

Working in garage today.  Listening to music on my phone speaker....cause the 4 nest speakers mounted to my walls and ceiling will not work.  Not that anyone at google cares.

Uncle-Googs
Community Member

Went to use my stereo pair of minis in basement to work out.  Spent 10 mins trying to get them to play.  No luck.  One finally played but "cannot connect to other speaker".  Magically that on separated from the pair.  Not I cant split the original pair to rejoin them "feature not available right now" when I try to separate them.  Cool.  Hey!  Looks like I get to factory reset this speaker YET AGAIN!  Just did this about a month ago.  Hunk of sheet.  Any updates yet? Kellan?  Google?  Who can I talk to?  Anyone?

 

Nope... Just automated scripts telling me to reboot.  Factory reset.  Not sheet Sherlock - ive been doing that for the last year MONTHLY.  Waiting for a magical fix promised in this thread.  But silence on the matter.

 

Complete joke.  Just lock this thread already Google... As the final "Eff Yew" to your customers.  Never will buy another google product.

When I tear all these down - I will take a photo and post it on this thread.  The amount of money Invested in this ecosystem -and  the amount of time I have spent resetting these stupid sheet speakers is a complete and utter joke.  Not that anyone gives a sheet at google.

Google wifi.

Nest audio

Nest mini

X 3 Pixel phones

Nest hub mini

Nest hux

 

Multiples of the above... All complete Sheet.

 

Google - you have lost me.  I will continue to rant on this thread every time I have to reset this sheet... Till the last of the above trash is out of my house.

rhammond84
Community Member

Latest preview firmware on Nest Hubs and Hub Max seems to have fixed issues that been present for more than a year....

20.20240530.3.236

Hubs now play to the default speaker group set in the Home App, and in the case of a group with Hub Max, Google Home Max and a stereo pair of Nest Minis, the Hub Max now plays in the group without it needing to be added manually using the screen interface. 

rhammond84
Community Member

Latest preview firmware on Nest Hubs and Hub Max seems to have fixed issues that been present for more than a year....

 

20.20240530.3.236

 

Hubs now play to the default speaker group set in the Home App, and in the case of a group with Hub Max, Google Home Max and a stereo pair of Nest Minis, the Hub Max now plays in the group without it needing to be added manually using the screen interface. 

Bounced my wifi and rebooted all my devices.  Of course I am left with a bunch of broken stereo pairs that I will need to factory reset... Not off to a good start..

After some time - my stereo pairs were repaired.  Of course things are working fine cause I just bounced everything.  Will give it time....